Rebecca Soni
Rebecca S., thank you for bring the GOLD home for the U.S. of A. (in WR 2.20.22 time). That last 50m was unadulterated speed and a glorious performance.
Rebecca Soni was the only swimmer in the semifinals to split under 1:10 for the first 100 and she continually got stronger during the last half of the race. She heads into the championship heat as the distinct favorite to lead the U.S. in Beijing. However, she’ll have a veteran and well-known name pushing her to the wall.
Soni, a junior from Plainsboro, N.J., was named Swimmer of the Meet at the Pac-10 Championship with two individual titles. Soni broke her own NCAA record in the 200 breast by almost one second winning with a time of 2:06.11. She also won the 100-yard breast with a time of 58.98. Soni will look to claim her third-consecutive NCAA title at 200 yards later this month.
Soni won the 200 breaststroke at the U.S. trials - not too surprising for the two-time defending NCAA champion. But it’s how she earned her spot in the 100 breast that was the shocker.
Soni is one of two New Jerseyans to win a swimming medal in these Olympics. Irvington’s Cullen Jones was a part of the 4×100-meter freestyle team that authored one of the most memorable comebacks in the sport’s history Monday.
